Call for Applications: BOI x Bumpa Free 6-Month Digital Business Tools for MSME Africa
Business (https://msmeafricaonline.com/category/business/)
Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) Targets Cassava Industrialization with N5m Innovation Prize for Nigerian SMEs and Students
Published 14 hours ago on February 12, 2026
Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) has launched an exciting opportunity for Nigerian small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and students. The company is offering a 6-month access to free digital business tools through a collaboration with BOI and Bumpa. This initiative aims to empower businesses in the cassava industry, fostering innovation and growth.
The FMN Prize for Innovation (PFI 5.0) is a 5th edition of FMN's annual program, focusing on cassava production and processing. The theme, 'Innovative Practices in Cassava Production and Processing', encourages homegrown solutions within Nigeria's cassava value chain. The competition is open to registered Nigerian SMEs in the food and agro-allied sector, as well as student innovators.
Prizes include N5 million for the first place, N3 million for second, and N2 million for third in the SME category. In the student category, the top three innovators will receive N300,000, N200,000, and N100,000 respectively. Beyond cash, winners gain access to corporate mentorship and industry support for commercialization and sustainable business building.
This focus on cassava addresses a gap in Nigeria's agricultural economy. Despite being the world's largest cassava producer, the country imports significant volumes of cassava-based industrial derivatives. FMN's prize aims to reduce dependency on imports and strengthen local industrial capacity.
The Group CEO of FMN emphasizes the alignment with the company's industrial vision. The prize has consistently supported local innovators in developing practical solutions within Nigeria's food system. Cassava is seen as a strategic pathway to industrial self-sufficiency and economic progress in the food and agro-allied sector.
Since its launch in 2021, FMN's Prize for Innovation has supported 24 innovators across four editions. The company has disbursed over N42 million in prize funding and committed over N200 million in structured support systems to help winning ideas scale into viable businesses. Previous themes have covered food loss, local content development, precision agriculture, and livestock farming.
The program's structure goes beyond financial rewards. By combining funding with mentorship and industry access, past winners have strengthened operations and moved closer to commercial viability. FMN expects the fifth edition to deepen the pipeline of scalable cassava-focused solutions.
Entries for PFI 5.0 are open until March 16, 2026. Interested innovators can submit applications through the official Prize for Innovation website.
For MSMEs in the cassava ecosystem, this competition offers not only funding but also a pathway into stronger industry networks and long-term growth opportunities.
Energy (https://msmeafricaonline.com/category/energy/)
Federal Government Launches 'Buy-Meter-Now, Get-Refunded' Program for Nigerian Electricity Consumers
Published 16 hours ago on February 12, 2026
The Nigerian Federal Government has introduced a program to help electricity consumers access prepaid meters. The 'Buy-Meter-Now, Get-Refunded' initiative allows customers to purchase meters upfront and receive refunds through energy credit over time.
Eligible customers who buy prepaid meters from authorized providers will get refunds in the form of electricity credit, effectively recovering the meter cost as they recharge their supply. This approach accelerates metering nationwide and addresses the long-standing metering gap.
The program supports Nigerians in obtaining meters sooner, bypassing delays in existing government metering projects like the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP).
The refund process involves:
- Customers buying approved prepaid meters.
- Electricity credit equivalent to the meter price being credited back in installments as the meter is vended.
- Reducing the cost burden on consumers while expanding metering coverage.
This model is similar to the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme, where customers paid for meters upfront and were refunded through electricity credit over 36 months.
Nigeria's metering gap has been significant, with millions of unmetered customers. Initiatives like DISREP, backed by a $500 million World Bank fund, aim to close this gap and eliminate estimated billing practices.
Creative Industry (https://msmeafricaonline.com/category/creative-industry/)
NCDMB Launches 5-Day Videography and Cinematography Training for 50 Nigerian Youths
Published 16 hours ago on February 12, 2026
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has launched a 5-day training program in videography and cinematography for 50 Nigerian youths. The training, organized in partnership with King-Faahji Nig. Limited, aims to equip participants with practical skills in visual media production.
Over the course of the program, participants will learn camera operation, video shooting techniques, basic lighting setup, and visual storytelling. These skills are in high demand across digital media, entertainment, advertising, and online content sectors.
At the end of the training, the youths will receive starter kits and cash support to launch their own businesses or work as freelancers in video production and related creative fields. NCDMB emphasizes its commitment to human capital development and entrepreneurship promotion in sectors beyond traditional energy jobs.
